WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 311, 26 May 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen.") A .MAX AND A MAID. BREACH OF PROMISE CASE. PLAINTIFF AWARDED DAMAGES.

Hamilton, Monday. , At the Supreme Court to-day, before] Mr. Justice Edwards, the first/ease set down for hearing was that of Alice Beatrice Barker (Mr. Reed) v. Alexander Walter Bird (Mr. Limdon), a claim for £551 damages for alleged breach of promise of marriage. In opening the case Mr. Reed said that the plaintiff, Miss Barker, was formerly a resident of 'Wailii, and the defendant Bird was a foreman at the Grand Junction battery. He was drawing a salary of from £4 to £4 10s a week. The

plaintiff's father was manager of smaller mines in that district. For about two] iini. a half years the young people kept company, and though not actually engaged the defendant was paying her a good deal of attention. In September of last year the defendant proposed marriage, to which the plaintiff agreed. Mr. Barker was away at the time, but the defendant saw her mother, who gave her consent. The fact of this promise was never disputed. The young man appeared to have a peculiar disposition. He took two years and a half to make up his mirid about proposing, and then proposed, but as soon as he had proposed and was accepted he seemed to have neglected the girl entirely. Three weeks before Christmas lie stopped going to see his, intended wife. iMiss Barker wrote to liim two or three times asking him his reasons, but although the pair lived j within twenty minutes' walk of each other she only got one reply, which was not altogether satisfactory. All her friends knew of the engagement, and] naturally expected to see her young man taking her about in public. She was! fretting a great deal. 'She could not eat or sleep, and the worry was having a I very bad effect on her. On the Thursday | before Christmas, the plaintiff went up, to the defendant's house, and he admit-' ted that he had been treating her baaiy,| and expected that she would return the| ring. Tilings, however, were fairly well patched, and it was arranged that they should be married on January 10. On December 26 the defendant came down to the house, and again admitted that he had been treating her badly, ller parents were considerably incensed at the behaviour of the defendant, and the father had an interview with him, at which Bird said: "Oh, I am going to marry Beatrice, and will arrange with her when it is to come off." Bird had to go to the Thames on December 28, and the plaintiff went down to see him off. They met again on Xew Year's Eve. He was to have taken her to church in the morniiiL'. but instead of that he went out for a ride. Later lie again went to Thames, and returned on January 7, but I in the interval he had written to say ho could* not r'uvry her on January 10, as he was too busy, and would not be able to get away for some weeks. The plaintiff saw him on January 7, and from that day to the day the writ was issued, on February 2, he never came near her. She wrote to him asking for an explanation, but did not receive any reply. As soon as he got the writ, however, lie was prepared to marry her next day, but tlie girl said that if lie could not marry her voluntarily she would not be married at all. The experience had so affected her that her father moved the family j to Auckland. The defendant had admitted to Mrs. 'Barker that lie had come down on December 24 for the purpose of breaking off the engagement, but was afraid to. The dresses were all ready, and everything was arranged. Even the wedding cake was ordered. The plaintiff, in her evidence, gave details of the story as outlined by Mr. j Reed. !

James Robert Noble, buttery superintendent at the Wailii Grand Junction mine, gave evidence as to the hours worked bv defendant during December and January, when there was a pressure of work, in cross-examination by Mr. Reed, witness said that during December and January there were, perhaps, several days when the defendant; could not get away for a couple of hours to see his affianced wife. The defendant had never asked to get away about January 10, but asked to get away early in February. Mr. Lundon, in opening for the defence, said they relied largely upon the fact that during the time complained of the defendant was working almost day and night at the battery, and he was very irritated by letters which he received from the plaintiff. He intended to marry the girl, but owing to pressure of work could not get away on the date arranged for the marriage. Even after receiving the writ he offered to marry the girl, but she refused. i'hc defendant, in evidence, bore out the statement of counsel, and was subjected to a severe cross-examination by his Honor. Evidence was given to show that the defendant was working long hours at the battery. The jury retired at 10.0 p.m., and returned twenty minutes later with a ver-

dict for £.51 special damages claimed, and £2OO general damages. Judgment was entered with costs according to scale. j FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON. London, April 7. There is probably no reason why snop windows—expressive, as they are. of Fashion's emotion of the momentshould not indicate other tilings also. Is l it imagination Hint tbc West End win-] dows. after their virtuous endeavors in the All-British Week, are revelling with relieved sighs in being able to display once more unashamed labels that toil truthfully or otherwise that most of the goods shown come from I'aris, Vienna, etc.? T take the liberty of thinking not. since such a state of things—grimly humorous, in a way—as British goods for sale in a British country is a novelty, and the British public takes slowly to novelties. The All-British week' has quietly gone and left small trace of its existence behind it, save for a few rich silks still boldly described as British-i made. But it has probably had a bracing effect on the shopping community

that no other object lesson could have had. And to make a shopper think is surely a great achievement. If more of that wholesome mental exercise were indulged in, and the one who buys a much betriinmed skirt for a few shillings would force herself to think of the poor bentbacked and half-starved creature who is in that sorry state because she is paid starvation rates on her work —if, indeed, people took the very least interest in anything beyond the price of their bargains—it is safe to say that there would be vast changes effected in the world.

There is little new to record regarding London fashions, which now, as far at least as the spring modes are concerned, are fixed. The one-rever blouse of which I wrote last week is evidently to be popular; and made up i* shot silk, with the rever of gorgeous Eastern embroidery veiled in ninon, or elaborately beaded, it is veryeffective.

Harem Skirts.—'l noted in my tour of the shops this week that these were only conspicuous by their absence.

Tunics are still with us, but are altering in shape. The newest are short, reaching only about nine inches below th" wi'ist, and finished with a fringe of silk or beads. They are not very pretty, it must be confessed, and lack the grace of the long ones. Silk coats and skirts, with the skirt of plain silk, .and the short-waisted coatee (with a tight-fitting basque, be it noted) of Paisley or figured silk, and vests of lace in cascades, are being exploited by several well-known firms. Tight skirts are the order of the day in all materials, though evening dresses are allowed more generous proportions. Sleeves.—lt was prophesied some weeks ago that sleeves were to be large, but they are apparently in a stage of indecision. Nearly all, even on serge dresses, are elbow length, and hang straight. Puff sleeves, even on gowns of soft material, are nowhere shown. I Beading is in as high favor as ever, and nothing that can admit of the ornu-1 mentation is without it. One very effec-1 tive evening gown I was shown was of soft white silk, embroidered with great sprays of iorget-me-nots. all the flowers composed of beads. Another remarkable evening dress was of bright emerald silk under a tunic of black, the latter clinging to the figure and em-' broidered in a conventional pattern on corsage and hips, in steel beads. Scarves, evening cloaks, hair bandeaux, hats, bags blouses, cloth and serge coats, and skirts all conform to the craze, and nearly al-) ways colored beads are employed. One I black silk jacket T saw this week looked 1 rather strange, with a fringe of beads edged with coral colored ones. One striking difference between the evening dresses of this year n-.iil last is the length of the skirt. Last year one scarcely saw an evening frock that was not some inches off the ground, but now all the new models, with the exception of the Empire styles, are cut long, and show the return of the graceful and not too voluminous train.

Cerise is a, color that, perhaps, should be sparingly worn, unless one wishes to he conspicuous, hut touches of it, artistically added, give a delightful and uncommon finish to a costume. I had tea lit the Lyceum Club last week with a young New Zealander, who looked remarkably well groomed and smart, and with a very real pride in her appearance. I dissected her costume, and found that she wore a dross of nuvv serge, close fitting and trimmed only with rather broail dull black braid and a tiny yoke of black net and gold embroidery, iler hat also was navy, of some line straw, and turned back from her face with a cerise feather of the thin, long description, rather more like a fluffy quill than a feather. Hats seen in the windows would seem put there only to provide mirth, so outlandish are the}', yet they are worn in solemn earnest, so must be criticised as hats, and not eccentricities. Shapes like those in large sizes we have probanly beggar description. Many of the newest ■ toques are dome-shaped; others are straight, and without any brims, but creased into odd shapes, and made very high by the enormous bows and straight loops of ribbons used as trimming. Yet , others are of soft straw, with fat velvet horns, so that the wearer gives one the impression that she is a gnome out by mistake in a glaring sun. Lingerie.—One of the prettiest conceits in lingerie is the use of spotted cambric instead of the plain nainsook or linen. Complete sets are made of the dainty material trimmed with fine lace threaded with- ribbons. The spot sotneI how seems to impart a more elaborate . appearance to the garment than did the plain material.